tion of
the world, which they had been warranted to expect by God's "servants
the prophets" from the days of old, (ch. x. 7.) The great, the universal
change consists in this:--"The kingdoms of this world are become _the
kingdoms_ of our Lord and of his Christ." The English supplement,--"the
kingdoms," is justified and required, equally by the sense and the laws
of syntax: and he is a deceiver, if a scholar, who insists upon any
other, to supply the ellipsis. Indeed, the omission of similar
supplements, has occasioned needless obscurity to the unlearned in other
parts of this book. (See chs. xix. 10; xxii. 9.) The greatest of all
revolutions consists in restoring church and state to their scriptural
foundation,--transferring both from allegiance to "the god of this
world," (Matt. iv. 8; Luke iv. 5, 6;) to their rightful owner,--"the
Lord and his Anointed." (Ps. ii. 2, 8.) When this desirable epoch
arrives, for which the persecuted witnesses have long and fervently
prayed, (ch. vi. 10,) gospel ministers and Christian magistrates will
seek to do the will, and aim at the glory of God.--It is painful and
pitiable to hear learned and pious men often pray,--"That the kingdoms
of this world may soon become the _kingdom_ of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ." This is to "ask amiss,"--to miss the promise; for no such
promise is on record. The groundless conception confounds the revealed
distinctions in the Godhead,--the Father with the Mediator; and it would
subvert Jehovah's moral empire, annihilating the eternal principle of
representative identification! But those good men "mean not so, neither
do their hearts think so." They ought, however, to be more careful and
diligent in "searching the Scriptures."--If the scriptural significance
of this joyful announcement "in heaven" were better understood by gospel
ministers generally, a chief barrier would be removed, which now
obstructs the advent of the millennium. Would they but cease, their
hearers might more readily cease, to "wonder after the beast." But we
may not anticipate.

"He, (Christ,) shall reign for ever and ever." When the seventh trumpet,
the third woe, shall have accomplished its object, in the utter
destruction of immoral power, and the 1260 years shall have come to an
end, no other successful combination shall ever again be permitted to
assail and harass the city of the Lord:--"of his government there shall
be no end." (Dan. vii. 27.) "All dominions shall serve an